Golden Sun: Dark Risings
by Rounin
Summary: *Revised* A week after the Golden Sun event, unknown species of monsters begin appearing throughout Weyard. Our eight heroes embark on yet another adventure to find the source...and destroy it once and for all. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Hey all! If you haven't checked out my profile page, I mentioned that I would be doing a revisions project this year so for now, all my stories will be on hiatus until I can get all the chapters I've written revised and re-posted. With that said, I took down _Golden Sun:Dark Risings_ for revisions so I apologize to my fellow readers who have been keeping up with this story.

Now, with this revision, I have changed a pairing. Even with the release of Camelot's third installment of the Golden Sun series, I am still a fan of mudshipping and flameshipping. The only pairing I've changed is windshipping because of the possibility that Ivan and Sheba could be long-lost brother and sister and that would be weird lol! So now, Sheba is paired with another male from the group, but I'll let you read this chapter to find out what coupling it is ;)

I hope you all enjoy reading this revised version of _Golden Sun: Dark Risings _and please drop a review after reading! I'd really appreciate it! :)

**Disclaimer:** Golden Sun belongs to Camelot

_

* * *

Alex conjured up an orb of water in his gloved hand. "How dare you mock me! Have a taste of just how much power I just attained from the Golden Sun!" He fired the orb at the Wise One who easily dodged it with one Warp Psynergy. It reappeared before Alex again, this time casting some Psynergetic force towards his way. Smirking, Alex simply raised his arms above his head, producing his own Psynergetic force. Both collided and the two were at a standstill as one tried to overpower the other with their Psynergy._

_"Look at me!" Alex exclaimed with joy. "My body is brimming with power!"_

_The Wise One remained unmoving, its one eye focused on its opponent. "Yes, I have to admit. You have grown powerful, Alex. However..." _

_Alex gasped in shock as an unknown Psynergy hit his abdomen hard, causing him to lose his focus. Dust kicked up as his body hit the ground. Seconds later, he felt himself being lifted slowly off the ground._

_"Even the most powerful have their limits." the Wise One warned as another wave of Psynergy came down from the skies, pounding Alex's battered body down. The tremendous force caused the ground to crack as he landed.  
_

"_Tell me; who has robbed me of my power?" he coughed, tasting blood.  
_

"_I, the Wise One have some of the Golden Sun as well. It even rests in the hands of Isaac and Felix."_

_"Why?" Alex asked, slightly irritated. He was the one to receive raw power first-hand; how could the Golden Sun have passed on to them?__  
_

_His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of crumbling rock. The ground beneath him shook, but the Golden Sun continued to emit its Psynergetic rays...  
_

"_The heavens and the earth are changing Alex. You must flee or join it forever." the Wise One cautioned, its one eye roving around to survey the shifting environment.  
_

_Panic hit Alex as he realized that his limbs were completely immobilized. _"_Flee? I can't even move!"_

"_Ah. Now you see the limits to your power. If you survive, perhaps we will see each other again. Goodbye Alex." With those words, the Wise One vanished into thin air...  
_

* * *

_Thok!_

With a hammer, Isaac pounded the last of the nails into a headboard that would serve as the windowsill of a house. Nearby, Garet sat on a tree stump, deeply drinking from his canteen.

"Whew! All this house-building's got me beat!" the Fire Adept exclaimed as he capped his canteen and strapped it back on his belt. His friend chuckled at this.

"C'mon, Garet! You weren't one to complain when we went against the Doom Dragon back at the Mars Lighthouse!"

"I think it's his stomach speaking again!" a female's voice interceded. Both boys looked up to see Jenna standing with hands on hips.

"Why do you always assume that, Jenna!" Garet blurted, standing up. "It takes more than building houses to work up my appetite...er..." A loud growl sounded from his stomach and he clutched it sheepishly.

She smirked, watching Garet's antics. "My point exactly!" Isaac placed the hammer in a box containing the building tools.

"Well, maybe Garet's stomach is telling us to get back to Vault. After all, the sun is beginning to set and it can get pretty dangerous out here after dark."

"His stomach always tells us something." Jenna retorted.

"Jenna..." Garet grimaced, his stomach resonating another growl. Isaac laughed, clapping his friend on the back.

"Don't worry, my friend. You'll have a hearty meal when we get back to Vault! I hear tonight's menu is steak." The word 'steak' seemed to bring his friend back to life.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's head back already!" Grabbing his axe, he shouldered it and started to march happily towards the east...

Isaac and Jenna exchanged glances and a shrug before following Garet, who was already several meters away, humming a tune to himself.

* * *

With the setting sun, the crimson-orange sky was slowly changing into a lavender-dark blue color. A star or two began to twinkle within the sea of purple and blue. Mt. Aleph was still shifting due to the Golden Sun; the orb of Alchemy was gone, but its power still remained, radiating within the sunken mountain. Once in a while, a small tremor would ensue, lasting for several seconds or so, before everything fell silent once more.

Mt. Aleph shook again momentarily as the face of the mountain sank slightly, causing several boulders to fall. Moments later, the earth fell silent again and a large boulder was moved aside by Psynergy, revealing a ragged and exhausted Alex. Wiping dry blood from the side of his mouth, he took note of his surroundings.

"This treachery..." he seethed, looking at his left hand. "Am I not worthy enough of the Golden Sun's power?" He remembered the Wise One's words...

_"I, the Wise One, have some of the Golden Sun as well. It even rests in the hands of Isaac and Felix."_

"Curse them..." Alex said, his voice rising. "CURSE THEM ALL!"

In his anger, he aimed his right hand at a giant boulder nearby and let loose his Water Psynergy. The high pressure stream of water collided with the rock, shattering it into tiny rock shards upon contact. Dissatisfied, he let out another stream at the same spot, eroding more of the rocky wall away.

It was then he spotted something shining among the rubble. Upon closer inspection, he found it to be a fragment of a substance that was as dark as the shadows. Was this the same substance that he found back in the caverns of the Anemos Sanctum?

A devilish grin spread across his face as he clenched his fingers around it. "Dark Matter...perfect."

With it, a DarkSword could be forged under the most experience blacksmith. Alex vaguely remembered crossing paths with a well-known blacksmith during his trek through the Yampi Desert. They never crossed paths again after that day, but he was determined to find this person; he could get the man to forge a set of armor and a weapon out of this tiny fragment. Then it would complete his revenge against the ones who stole the power he had sought...

It was then the Mercury Adept had a realization. Dark Matter could also be absorbed by its possessor! It would be a dangerous process though, for once a person absorbed a sliver of the dark substance, there was a sure chance of that person dying from severe intoxication. Legend had it that only a person with a dark heart and soul would be immune to its poisonous effects.

But Alex was determined to gamble with his life to extract his full revenge. Closing his eyes, he concentrated his Psynergetic energies towards his left hand where he held the Dark Matter. A blue aura surrounded his left hand, but slowly turned into a darker shade as the fragment emitted its darkness and combined it with his powers.

A sharp pain shot up his arm and Alex clenched his teeth, grasping his left arm with his right hand. The poison was taking its effects, spreading its dark venom around his body. Soon, he was starting to slip in and out of consciousness as he couldn't bear the excruciating pain as the dark aura around his hand grew larger. His back hit the ground once more as he lost the strength to stand.

In his pain, Alex cursed inwardly. He should have just searched for that blacksmith after all...

It was then the pain left his body altogether and he felt something metal resting against his hand. Grasping it, he raised his left arm to see a blade as dark as the midnight sky. Gasping, he sat up abruptly and looked at the weapon in awe.

"Did the Dark Matter just forge itself into the Darksword?" He also his once-torn clothing was now mended and his wounds healed. The evil grin came back on his face. "Guess the Dark Matter chose me after all."

As he rose, he felt something hanging from his belt. Looking to the side where he kept his nunchakus, he noticed a matching scabbard now dangling beside his weapon.

"This was a lucky find." he said, sheathing the Darksword in its scabbard and looking outward at the dusky sky. Stars were now starting to shine in its lavender-like shade. Several miles from the foot of Mt. Aleph was the humble village of Vault. It would be dark soon and there was a slim chance Isaac, Felix and company would be outside at this time. Besides, there was no rush in finding them; after all, he would enjoy a little game of cat and mouse before finishing off those pesky Adepts. For now, he needed to find a place to rest...

Thoughts of a gourmet meal and a warm bed prompted him to start climbing down the sunken mountain

* * *

Garet happily patted his stomach and let out a small belch. "Vault makes the best steak!"

"Ew, gross" Jenna said, disgusted. Isaac laughed as he leaned back on his chair.

"That's Garet for you! And Garet, you say that for every place we stay in!"

"I do?" Garet wondered, scratching his head. "When was the last time I said that?"

"Two days ago when we stayed at Master Hammet's palace in Kalay." another male voice replied. All three looked up to see Ivan, Mia, and Sheba joining them at the table.

"I see Garet's stomach spoke again?" Mia giggled, earning her a death glare from Garet.

"Is it 'pick on Garet' day again?" Sheba piped up, mischief glinting from her lavender eyes. The others howled in laughter, save for Garet, who was slowly sinking in his chair in embarrassment.

"All right, guys." Isaac sighed, wiping his now-tearing eyes. "I think we should lay off on Garet here."

"Aw...the poor baby." Sheba teased and more laughter erupted around the table.

A woman approached the table, setting down a plate containing a slice of pecan pie. Jenna took the plate and clapped her hands together before taking the fork and slicing a small piece.

"Look who's talking." Garet remarked as the laughter around him started to die down.

"Hey, at least I don't eat five plates of these like you do!" she fired back at him.

"While the two lovebirds argue it out..." Mia started with a sly grin, seeing if the two Fire Adepts would hear her, but they were too busy teasing each other with sarcasm to notice. Letting the joke go, she turned towards Isaac.

"So, how's the construction going? she asked, trying to be as loud as she can over the constant bickering.

"I'll tell you outside. Let's leave them to their own devices." Both looked over at Ivan and Sheba who were staring at each other intently. Instead of trying to speak over each other, they had decided to use their Mind Read abilities to have a conversation.

"Sometimes, I wish I had the Mind Read Psynergy." Mia contemplated out loud as she stood from her seat. "It would come in very handy in situations like this..."

"I know, Mia." Isaac said, joining her and wrapping his arm around her. "But what can we do about it? We're not Wind Adepts." The two exited the noisy Inn and stepped into fresh air with a clear, night sky above them. They strolled across the tiny village, taking the stairs leading to the bell tower. Once there, Isaac climbed up the ladder and Mia followed suite with his help. They stood, leaning against the wooden railing, and enjoying the evening scenery together. All around them was silent save for a few chirping coming from crickets nearby.

"This should be a more quieter place." Isaac said, looking up at the starry sky.

"Yes, it is indeed." she agreed. "But I'm sure we didn't go outside just to talk about New Vale's construction, did we?"

"My, you're sharp as ever." he laughed, looking back at her with a smile. "Well, since you figured it out, I might as well tell you now. We've been together since the lighting of the Jupiter Lighthouse and I don't mean together...oh wait, no that didn't come out quite right."

Mia stifled a giggle as she watched his cheeks slowly turn red. "I love you too, Isaac." At those words, he managed to compose himself and continue his small speech.

"Y-yes...that's what I mean. Well, I've been giving it some deep thought during our sail back to Vale from Prox...and Mia..." He dug into his pocket and fished something out. Mia's heart started to soar as he got on one knee, taking her hand and slipping on a ring. She was lost for words as she looked at the ring in awe; it was a sterling silver ring adorned with a small aquamarine gem. Two diamonds adorned on either side of the precious gem, completing its stunning beauty.

Seeing her facial expression, Isaac continued. "Mia...will you marry me?"

"Yes! Of course I will!" she exclaimed in response, throwing herself at Isaac and hugging him. In doing so, the two tumbled to the floor and they lay there for a moment, their laughter filling the silent night.

Sighing and sitting up, Isaac turned back to face Mia, who was still laying on the wooden floor looking with complete awe at the ring he had given her. "Mia...the only problem is that we can't hold this wedding right away because of construction. I know I should have waited until after New Vale was complete, but I thought tonight was a beautiful night to say those words to you."

She sat up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Any day would have been fine, Isaac. I was just waiting for my favorite Earth Adept to say those five words to me."

Isaac chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and cradling her. "I'm glad you like the ring."

"Oh, it's so beautiful, Isaac. Wherever did you get a ring like this?" she asked, making herself comfortable in Isaac's arms.

He looked up at the twinkling stars, noticing a shooting star zip through the dark sky. "It's quite a long story...I'd probably bore you to death with it." He felt her shake her head in response.

"No, tell me. Besides, I want to stay out here with you a bit longer." She relaxed into his arms, closing her eyes.

"Alright." Isaac laughed, gently moving some of Mia's strands of hair away from her angelic face. He took the ring from her hand and slipped it on her ring finger. "That night we stayed at Izumo..."

Together, the two lay under the stars for the remainder of the night...

* * *

Dust kicked up through the empty streets as Alex strode through the ruins of Vale. The once peaceful village was now desolate since the Wise One had warned everyone to evacuate the area before the Golden Sun event happened. Straw houses were caved in and anything made out of brick or rock was split in half from the magnitude of Mt. Aleph's earthquake when the mountain started to crumble and sink. The trunks of the trees had been splintered as well, the treetops now bare with only a few dried leaves fluttering against the wind. The water in the river had been replaced by magma and streams of it continued to flow through the area where the water once flowed

_"Hm...that weakling Wise One saved those villagers?"_ he thought as he saw one of the straw huts nearby completely crumble down, kicking up dust as the debris fell in a heap. Descending a flight of stairs leading to the plaza, he noticed a giant Psynergy stone in the middle of a small lake full of magma. The wooden bridge connecting to the little island had been engulfed by the lava.

Magma wasn't going to stop Alex. Smirking, he closed his eyes and vanished into thin air, reappearing in front of the Psynergy stone. His right hand stretched out to touch the surface of the glowing stone and immediately, felt a rush of Psynergy enter his body. The fragment of the Golden Sun pulsed within him as the stone replenished his Psynergy reserves.

Seconds later, he opened his eyes again as the last of the stone's power seeped into his system. "That should do quite nicely." Warping back, he noticed that the Inn was still intact. Being a bit farther away from Mt. Aleph, the plaza didn't suffer as much damage as the houses he had seen back there.

Curiosity got the better of him and he entered the now-abandoned armor shop. As expected, the place was completely empty and the only furniture left in the place was an old, wooden desk, a dusty bed, and a few barrels and crates.

Another small tremor ensued, shaking everything up in the room. Unable to steady himself, Alex fell to the floor. A crash was heard nearby as one of the crates that were stacked had fallen, splitting its timber in half. Just as fast as it came, the shaking stopped and everything was still again.

He stood, dusting his clothes. "Well, that was unexpected...what's that?" His eye had caught of a strange garment laying about the splinters. Upon closer inspection, he saw it to be a dark robe with a hood. After removing the small splinters and dust from it, he donned it, coughing a bit as some of the remaining dust flew around from the garment.

"Perfect. Now those brats won't know who I really am!" Taking the cords at each of the side of the waist, he joined them at the front, tying the two into a loose knot. "I wonder why this was left here? Bah! No matter...it's their lost now."

He flipped the hood over his head and hurried out the door on his way to Vault...

* * *

The next morning, Isaac, Garet, and Jenna were getting ready to leave for the construction. The trio were over at the Inn on the second floor, getting their supplies ready.

"You know..." Jenna started as she tied the laces of her boots. "This reminds me of that day we were getting ready to go up Mt. Aleph with Kraden."

"Yeah, it does." both Isaac and Garet said in unison. The two looked at each other in surprise before bursting out in fits of laughter over their antics.

"Isaac, Garet, Jenna!" someone called out from downstairs, catching their attention. Footsteps were heard and the three looked over to see Sheba ascending. She joined them, nearly out of breath.

"Mayor...wants...you...now."

"Whoa, slow down, Sheba." Jenna warned, giving her a canteen filled with water. "What's the matter? Is everything alright?"

Garet helped her sit on the bed as she continued to drink deeply from the canteen. "Yeah, what's the rush, Sheba? Is Gramps alright?"

She nodded, capping the canteen and handing it back to Jenna. "Thank you and yes, he's fine; but, he wants to discuss something important with us at his house. The others are already there, waiting for you three."

"Alright, let's get going then." Isaac said, tying his scarf on before they departed from the Inn, running across town and ascending a long flight of steps leading towards the Mayor's house.

Compared to the other houses in Vault, the Mayor of Vault had a large, almost mansion-like house and it was the only one sitting at the cliff of the village, making it easy to locate. A guard was stationed at the door and at seeing Isaac, he stepped aside to let the four in. Inside, the rest of the Adepts were already sitting around the table with both mayors. Kraden was among the group as well.

"You're late, Jenna." Felix said somewhat sternly. He was the only one standing, leaning against one of the bookshelves nearby.

"Hey, we had no idea you guys were going to hold a meeting today!" she retorted, taking a seat next to Piers. Sheba took the empty seat on his other side and Isaac sat beside Mia. Garet took a chair from a corner nearby and seated himself next to Jenna.

"But you were with us when the Mayor came by last night." Piers said. "How could you forget?"

"Whose side are you on?" Jenna asked, rather annoyed with their constant scolding.

The Mayor of Vault held up a hand to silence them. "Now now. There's no need to be arguing over punctuality. We're all here now so that's all that matters."

Garet's grandfather nodded and looked at each Adept seated. "With that said, let us move on to more pressing matters. As you are all aware, we also have Vale residents living in Kalay due to the small accommodations we have here so there are always caravans of people moving to and from here to help with the construction of New Vale."

"Yeah yeah." Garet said, waving a hand. "Cut to the chase, Gramps." He winced as he earned a hard nudge from Jenna.

"Don't be rude, Garet!"

Vale's Mayor cleared his throat audibly to get the two Fire Adepts' attention. "Anyways, as I was saying, these people travel to and from here to participate in the rebuilding of our village. However, I've been getting several reports from our villagers and guards about recent monster sightings."

"You're kidding me." Ivan said in shock. "I thought all the monsters had perished under the effects of the Golden Sun!"

"That was my theory as well." Kraden interjected. "But it seems to have done the opposite effect on those creatures. Everyday, more and more wild animals are slowly mutating into abominations that even we haven't seen in our travels."

"One of the caravans headed here was attacked by such a thing yesterday." Vault's Mayor said. "Luckily, they had soldiers with them so they were able to fend off the monsters. Other than the leader of the caravan sustaining a severe wound on the arm, everyone was fine. They're all now resting at the sanctum."

"I'm surprised none of them have attacked any of the workers at the construction site." Sheba said. "I mean, the site sits near the foot of Mt. Aleph...or what it used to be."

Kraden shook his head. "None of the monsters will go near Mt. Aleph. The massive power of the Golden Sun would kill them for sure."

"But Kraden, didn't you just say that the monsters feed off of the Golden Sun?" Isaac asked, perplexed.

"That is very strange..." Sheba mused out loud. Everyone watched as she stood from her seat and grabbed a red book off of the bookshelf Felix was leaning on. Sitting back down, she flipped through the pages, her eyes lighting up as she found the page she was looking for.

"If you read this passage, you'll see that Kraden was right about the monsters perishing under the effects of Alchemy. It says it all right here."

Mia read the passage and nodded. "Yes, and to add to that, didn't we all notice that the monsters we fought in the past each had their weakness against a certain element? Like those Slimes that we fought near the Mercury Lighthouse were weak against Garet's Fireball Psynergy and the Salamanders at the Lamakan Desert were weak against my Froth Sphere. The Golden Sun is a mass of energy consisting of all elements so why would it have the opposite effect on the monsters, let alone, the wild animals?"

"An excellent point, Mia." Kraden said, smiling. Mia blushed at this and Isaac tried his best to stifle a chuckle.

Piers rubbed his chin as he studied the passage. "If that is the case, then perhaps there is something else that is turning them into monsters. The Golden Sun may have risen, but it doesn't account for all the changes that happen during that."

"I think it would be best if we explore Mt. Aleph first. Maybe we can find something there that will help us determine what's causing the mutation of the wild animals." Kraden suggested.

"Yes, that would be a good idea." Garet's grandfather agreed. "And since the nine of you will be heading there, would you do us mayors a favor?"

"Count on us!" Garet exclaimed.

Vault's Mayor smiled, placing a sealed note on the table. "I like your spirit, Garet. That is a letter for the mayor of Lunpa. Under better circumstances, I would have had my messenger deliver it with a guard or two for safety, but since the monster sightings, I can't risk any of our people out there. They are non-Adepts and without Psynergy, they wouldn't stand a chance. Besides, I'm thinking something's amiss in Lunpa."

"What do you mean, Mayor?" Ivan asked.

"We've sent out a letter to them a week ago regarding the request for more able-bodied people to help with the rebuilding of New Vale, but to this day, we have gotten no reply from them."

At hearing this, Isaac, Mia, Garet, and Ivan looked at each other with concern. From their last visit to Lunpa, they remembered Donpa's son, Dodonpa, who had kidnapped Master Hammet and used him for ransom. Had they not disobeyed Lady Layana's request, Kalay and its founder wouldn't have been standing today.

"Is something the matter?" Sheba asked, confused. "The four of you became so serious all of a sudden."

"It's nothing, really." Isaac answered. "We're just thinking about how Lunpa's been doing since we last went there."

"Were Master Hammet and Lady Layana informed of the monster attacks?" Ivan asked, slightly changing the subject.

Garet's grandfather shook his head. "No, but I've had one of men send a bird to him so do not worry about Kalay. They will know what's going on once the bird gets there. Knowing Master Hammet, he will send a reply right away once word reaches to him."

"It would probably be best to go to Lunpa and deliver that note before we head up Mt. Aleph." Felix said, walking away from the group and heading for the door. "I'll see you all later." The door closed quietly behind him. There was a moment of complete silence after Felix's departure until Kraden got everyone's attention by clearing his throat.

"Felix is right. We should probably head over to Lunpa first. Exploration of Mt. Aleph is vital, but we must notify Lunpa and get more people to help us with rebuilding."

"So...when do we leave for Lunpa?" Garet asked, leaning back on his chair.

"Tomorrow." both Mayors said in unison. A set of footsteps were heard and they all turned to see Garet's mother descending the steps.

"Enough chatter of the grim things. Let's have some breakfast, hm?"

* * *

Felix stood at the bridge, watching Mt. Aleph from afar. It amazed him at how the mountain still glowed with the orange-gold color of the Golden Sun the week after the unleashing of Alchemy throughout Weyard.

He thought of the past events leading up to the rising of the Golden Sun and they had succeeded in restoring Alchemy to a dying world. Even with the restoration of a long-lost power, he still had to fulfill his promise to Sheba and help her discover her true origins. His plans were to leave with Piers and Sheba once the construction of New Vale was finished and travel to Contigo. Although they had defeated Dullahan, the guardian of the Anemos Sanctum, the ruins still remained a mystery. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something in the depths of the sanctum that would reveal Sheba's past.

"Hey, Felix." a familiar voice greeted. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Felix turned to see Isaac.

"Oh, did you guys need me back there again?"

Isaac shook his head, smiling. "No, we're all finished there. Garet's mother prepared a breakfast for us so we saved some food for you which your sister took home."

"Oh, thank you." Felix said, returning the smile. Isaac took a step beside him and leaned on the ropes of the bridge, the wooden planks creaking slightly under the their combined weights and the slightly billowing wind.

"Is something bothering you, Felix?" Isaac asked, his smile fading to a worried look. "You've been quite distant these past few days."

"Isaac, you should know I'm always like this." Felix said, chuckling slightly.

"Yeah, I know you're quiet most of the time, but you've been shutting yourself off from the rest of us lately."

Felix sighed, looking up at the morning sky. "Well...I've been thinking about Sheba lately and my promise to her."

Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Promise? What do you mean?"

"My promise to help her discover her origins as a descendant of Anemos. I made that promise during our travels after we got separated from your group when Venus Lighthouse was lit. I know this is kind of sudden, but I'm thinking of leaving with Piers and Sheba once we get New Vale built."

Felix paused to see Isaac's reaction to his words, but the Venus Adept remained silent with a smile on his face.

"You like Sheba, don't you?" Felix remained silent, slightly averting his gaze.

"You may not admit it, but I can see it clearly through your actions." Isaac said, chuckling. "Ever since our reunion at Contigo, you've been at her side constantly."

Felix turned to him, smirking. "Quite observant of you. Yes, I love her and she loves me. Once I help her find her true origins, we will return to New Vale and marry. I'm sure she'll be 17 by the time we return."

It was Isaac's turn to smirk. "As always, you're playing it safe. Still trying to break Vale's laws."

"Well, I'm technically not breaking our village laws since I'm not marrying Sheba yet until we return. Vale's law prohibits marriage of a couple if either woman or man are under age, but it doesn't prohibit them from pursuing a relationship."

Isaac clapped Felix on the back. "I know, I'm just teasing. I'm happy for you two and I'll be awaiting that future marriage."

"Isaac!" a voice called out behind them. Mia and Jenna were standing at the end of the bridge.

"We've been looking for you two!" Jenna chided, placing her hands on her hips. "The sun's not going to wait for us, you know?"

Isaac scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Felix and I were discussing matters and we got carried away, I guess."

"Don't bother explaining, Isaac." Felix said, walking past him and towards the girls. "Jenna doesn't listen when her temper goes off. You should know that already."

Mia stifled a giggle as Jenna fumed at hearing her brother's words. Felix soon found himself running the other way from his sister. Isaac joined Mia as they watched the two siblings chase each other around Vault.

Isaac placed an arm around Mia. "Let's leave them to their shenanigans and head over to the construction site, shall we?" He received a small peck on the cheek from her.

"Of course, my love. You don't need to worry about getting the tools. Garet and Piers hauled all the supplies there already."

He nodded, withdrawing from his embrace and gently taking her hand in his. Together, they walked towards the entrance of Vault.

* * *

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, it's been a while since I've last updated this! First off, I'd like to give a special thanks to Falchion1984 for helping me organize the plot for this story. I truly appreciate your help and for that, you get a giant cookie! :3

Thanks also go to Mothy, who left the first review for this fic (you get a giant cookie too lol)! I'd appreciate more reviews; praise or constructive criticism would be nice...but please refrain from flaming.

I decided to revise this chapter again so I hope this sort of makes up for the waiting...I've started Fall semester so I'm limited with my updates, but expect the next chapter to be up soon! Promise! :)

Without further ado, I present to you the re-revised second chapter of Dark Risings! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Golden Sun belongs to Camelot**  
**

* * *

Throughout the Goma Range, small, lavender clouds tinged the crimson skies as the sun was slowly setting behind Mt. Aleph's peak. Nearby, crickets were beginning their little evening tunes and the last of the birds were flying high in the air, heading back to their respective nests.

Below the red-orange sky in the quiet village of Vault stood two figures atop the wooden bridge hanging over one of the village gates.

"Oooh, Garet's going to get it this time!" murmured Garet's sister, Kay, as she angrily paced back and forth. Behind her stood her youngest brother, Aaron, who was trying his best to show some concern for Garet; although, secretly, he was quite eager to see his sister unleash her wrath on Garet. He furrowed his brow and walked forward, leaning against the strong rope railing of the bridge. "I think I see them heading this way now." He winced as the setting sun's last rays hit his eyes.

Kay stopped pacing and joined him, squinting her eyes as she searched for the said group. "Are you sure, Aaron? I would hate to end up yelling at some poor travelers who just happened to be looking for a place to sleep tonight"

Kneeling down to avoid the offending light, he poked his head in between the ropes, holding to them as he did so.

"Yup, that's them alright..." he confirmed, looking up at his sister with a nod.

"Garet's getting it now!" Kay seethed as she hurried past Aaron and down the steps, briskly walking towards the entrance to meet with the group. Garet's brother stood and watched his sister from afar, a smirk now playing on his features.

However, Kay abruptly stopped in her tracks and her anger completely left her as she saw the scene ahead: Isaac and Felix were carrying a heavily injured Garet. At Garet's side was Mia who was trying her best to heal his injuries as best as possible. Piers and Jenna lingered behind as the Lemurian was tending to Jenna's minor injuries.

"W-what happened?" Kay stammered as she watched her brother with deep concern.

"We'll tell you the details once we get Garet to the Sanctum." Felix replied. "Kay, go inform the mayors while we take Garet to the Healer." She nodded and turned to go look for the mayor...

"Sis!" Garet called out weakly. Hearing him from the distance, she stopped momentarily and faced him. "Brother?"

Before he could answer his sister, his face contorted in pain before he fell unconscious, his body going limp.

"Garet!" Mia gasped, stopping the Ply Psynergy she was casting on him. "I'll go get help. You guys stay here and try to revive him with this." She dug into her robe pockets and took out a vial containing some Water of Life which she handed to Jenna. The two girls exchanged nods before Mia hurried off towards the sanctum.

"Kay, we'll take care of Garet." Isaac grunted as he helped Felix to lay Garet's body gently on the ground. "Go and tell the others to meet us at the sanctum."

Not needing to be told a third time, Kay simply nodded and hurried back to the bridge where her little brother was waiting for her.

Aaron, noticing something was amiss, watched as his sister started to walk briskly towards him. "Kay, what happened!"

"Aaron, your brother is badly injured! Go and stay by his side while I get grandpa and the rest of the family!"

Seeing what had happened from afar, Aaron nodded in reply before running down the stairs and towards the gates where the Healer's attendants were now placing Garet on a stretcher to be carried off...

* * *

"I still don't understand why the wild animals have mutated as they have..." Ivan pondered, crossing his arms. "Especially since they won't go near Mt. Aleph."

"It is a suspicious matter indeed." Kraden said as he closed a book and returned it to a shelf nearby. "The only thing I can hypothesize is that there is something else involved in the mutation of these animals."

"If that is the case, then what can it possibly be?" Sheba asked with a slight tone of irritation, quickly turning the pages of another book. "All the books we've researched are all about the history of Alchemy. Nothing in them contains any information on Alchemic mutations!"

"Whatever this may be, we cannot let this slide!" Garet's grandfather exclaimed. "I do not want any more of my people getting hurt!"

Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps were heard outside the room, followed by the sudden opening of the door. A guard stepped in, throwing a half-salute.

"Mayors...Kraden...Warriors of Vale..." he started, trying to catch his breath. Vault's mayor stood, his temper beginning to rise.

"What is the meaning of your intrusion! You were informed by your Captain that we were not to be disturbed this afternoon!"

"Sorry, grandpa." Kay spoke for the soldier as she stepped into the room. "Isaac and Felix would like you all at the sanctum at this moment."

It was Garet's grandfather's turn to flare. "Such impatient youth! Is their matter so important that it should disrupt our important meeting with Master Kraden!"

"Grandpa, Garet's badly injured! It seems like they've been attacked while at the construction site!" Kay reasoned, her voice beginning to rise.

"What!" Ivan and Sheba exclaimed together before bolting out of the room.

"You'll have to excuse us, mayors." Kraden said before exiting the room as well.

"Kay, go get your father and mother. Where is Aaron?" Kay's grandfather asked.

"Aaron is already at the sanctum with Garet. Please hurry! Garet didn't look too well when I saw him at the gates."

Vault's mayor nodded, his temper vanishing. "Then let us not waste another moment. Let's go."

* * *

"This place hasn't changed one bit since the last time I came here."

Alex pulled off his hood and raised his face mask as he slowly circled the outskirts of Vault. Although the sun had set, he couldn't risk entering the village. For sure, Isaac and the others had told the mayors and villagers about his intentions with Alchemy so they would recognize him right away. Even with the face mask and the hood on, his turquoise-blue hair would be a sure give-away.

"Hm...I wish that pesky dog were around, but I am no Wind Adept like Sheba. Mind Read and Reveal are the only way into that cave..." he contemplated aloud as his right hand unconsciously wrapped itself around the hilt of the Darksword. As he continued to follow the rocky ledges which made Vault's village walls, he heard the sound of what seemed like laughing in the distance. Drawing his sword, he stopped walking and listened for the source of the sound. Looking up, he spotted a window on the wall of a house. Candlelight was illuminating the window and again, he heard the loud bouts of laughter once more.

"Guards...lots of them. This must be the mayors' house." Alex said after the sound had died out once more. "There must be valuable information within those rooms, but those guards have to go." Extending his left arm, he balled up his hand into a fist and quickly raised his arm. In an instant, the portion of the ground he was standing on erupted with a small jet of water, propelling him up the ledge...

Inside the mayors' house, the guards were around the table in the lounge room, gambling with dice. A guard sitting at the far-end of the table took the dice and shook them in his right hand as the guard sitting next to him gave him a small sack of gold

"Damn, Damian, you lost 300 gold in this game already! Talk about bad luck!"

"If I had Ivan's Mind Read ability, I'd be better off in this game!" Laughter followed Damian's remark.

"Say, any news of Garet?" the guard with the dice asked as he cast them on the table.

"None. Jared and Marcus haven't given word yet." the guard across from Damian replied. "Hah! You just lost 100 gold, Zack!"

Before any of the guards could reach for the dice, a medium-sized icicle shattered the window nearby and landed point-first on the table in-between the dice. Chairs tumbled over as several of the guards quickly stood up and grabbed their spears from the rack nearby. The others stood frozen in place as they looked at the hooded figure standing beside the broken window with his blade drawn. The candle on the table was extinguished as a small breeze flew into the room, putting out the tiny flame.

"Tell me where the Warriors of Vale are or else..." Alex threatened coolly as his blade began to give off a faint, purple aura. "None of you will leave this room alive."

It was Damian who made the first move by grabbing the icicle off the table and hurling towards the intruder. "That doesn't scare us! Don't think we are without Psynergetic abilities!"

Alex caught the ice shard easily with his free hand and crushed it. "I would advise against trying my patience. Tell me where the Warriors of Vale are."

One of the guards with a spear held his spear in front of him, conjuring a sphere of electricity at the tip of his weapon, which he unleashed towards Alex. The Imilian vanished in a flash seconds before the electric current hit. Appearing behind the guard, he drove the Darksword into his back.

"What the-?" the unfortunate man gasped in shock, dropping his spear. Alex kicked the guard to the ground, cruelly pulling the sword out of his opponent's back in the process. The cursed blade hummed once more, plunging itself into a guard attempting to take down Alex from behind. A faint aura began to glow around the Darksword as the Water Adept pulled it out of his opponent.

"That's enough!" Zack yelled, drawing his own sword. "Men, hold your ground!"

Alex smirked, twirling his sword. "Any other challengers? My Darksword thirsts for more blood." In saying this, the blade's purplish aura began to glow more vividly.

"Clark, go inform one of the guards stationed outside! Hurry!" Zack ordered to one of the guards nearby. Clark nodded before turning and running towards the doorway.

"Watch out!" Damian cautioned, as he saw Alex throw one of the spears point-first in the direction of the running guard. The warning came too late-Clark yelled in agony as the flying spear pierced his back. A strong jet of water followed, pushing the injured guard towards the wall, pinning him to it as the blade of the spear emerged out of his abdomen and embedded itself into the wall. The other guards were frozen to the spot as they witnessed the gruesome scene.

Weakly, Clark lifted his arms and grabbed the blood-stained shaft of the spear with both hands. Zack quickly came to his aid, removing the spear and helping his wounded comrade rest against the wall.

"It'll be ok. You'll get through this, buddy!"

Clark coughed up some blood and shook his head. "I'm done for. No form of Psynergy will heal this..."

"Don't talk like that!" Zack exclaimed angrily, slightly shaking him.

The slamming of the door nearby cut their conversation. Zack turned to see Alex shoot out a stream of water from his left hand which froze the door upon contact, sealing the door shut. "If this is what I must do to get my answer, then I won't hesitate to do so. For the last time, where are the Warriors of Vale?"

"We will never...tell the likes of you..." Clark whispered, letting out one last exhale as his head limply fell forward.

"Clark!" Zack yelled, shaking the now-limp body. "No..." He wiped the stray tears from his face as he picked up his sword from beside him, pointing it at Alex. "Don't just stand there, men! Attack and take him down! Murder will not be tolerated, especially if it is a guard who was killed!"

"You have been warned." Alex said, brandishing the blood-stained Darksword...

* * *

"I'm sorry for putting your son in danger." Jenna said, lowering her head despondently.

"Jenna, you don't have to apologize!" Garet exclaimed. "Danger is my middle name!"

"More like troublemaker..." Kay muttered, remembering the flowers her brother had charred during his Psynergy training. The group laughed at her remark.

"Sheesh, I already said sorry, sis." Garet muttered, glaring at her. "You don't need to rub salt on the wound."

"So, Kraden." Isaac began once the laughter had died down. "Did you find any information regarding the recent monster sightings?"

The old sage shook his head in dismay. "I'm afraid we are still searching for answers. Although, I am merely hypothesizing that a source within Mt. Aleph is the cause of the mutations."

"With those monsters are now lurking around the construction site..." the mayor of Vale added grimly. "We cannot send anyone to help with the construction so long as those things are there! I will not risk anyone getting hurt again! My grandson was lucky to have gotten away with his injuries!"

The last sentence made Jenna feel like crawling into a hole and hiding. Garet, noticing this, took a hold of her hand and gave it a light squeeze. She looked at him and smiled, her feelings of guilt starting to vanish. As clumsy and reckless as Garet was, Jenna loved how he always managed to make her feel better with a smile or a simple gesture like holding her hand.

"We must put a stop to whoever or whatever is turning the wild animals into these monsters." Vault's mayor added. "I say that Isaac and the others should depart for Mt. Aleph once Garet has rested!"

"Garet should be fully recovered by tomorrow evening." the Great Healer said as he entered the room with an assistant, who was bearing a tray of food.

"This mush again?" Garet asked, disgusted, as the man placed the tray on the nightstand beside his bed. "Man, I'd give anything for a nice plate of steak right now...ow!" Jenna had smacked him on the forehead with her palm.

"You're such a picky eater!"

The Great Healer shook his head. "You are forbidden to eat meat until tomorrow evening."

"And for your information, Garet." Mia added, visibly irritated. "I made that 'mush'. It's nutritious and it will help you recover fully."

Seeing that his comments had angered two girls, one of them being Jenna, Garet quietly took the bowl from the tray and began to eat.

"Garet can be quite a handful sometimes." his mother said, glaring at her son.

"Indeed." her husband seconded.

"Whoosh shide er oo on?" Garet asked with a mouthful of food. He earned another smack on the forehead, this time from his sister.

"You're old enough to know not to talk with your mouth full, you pig!"

"Back on the subject of the monsters." Kraden pondered. "Their presence at the construction site means that whatever is triggering their mutations has spread its power."

"In other words, we don't have much time." Ivan concluded. "It would only be a matter of time before these monsters get stronger and multiply. Soon, Weyard will be roaming with them and the more it will be harder to destroy the source."

"Then we should go investigate Mt. Aleph before heading to Lunpa." Felix suggested. "Besides, Lunpa is near the eastern foot of the mountain. We can reach it better by trekking down the mountain paths."

Isaac nodded. "I agree. Make preparations for the journey tomorrow and leave the following morning."

"Then it is settled." Garet's grandfather said.

"MAYORS!" a guard yelled as he barged into the room, stopping to catch his breath.

"Have you no manners?" Vault's mayor asked angrily. "You did not even knock before you entered! This is the second time you've done this today! I ought to have you sent back to training camp!"

"My apologies again..." the guard huffed, his face flushed. "But there has been an intrusion in the mayor's house..."

"What!" both mayors exclaimed.

"Did you identify the intruder?" Piers asked. The guard shook his head.

"No, but there was a lot of noise coming from the lounge room and it sounded like fighting. We can't open the door, it's been sealed shut by ice."

"Ice?" Mia asked before coming to a realization. "Alex! How could he?" She turned and fled the room.

"Let's go!" Vault's mayor said, getting up and hurrying out the room. Everyone followed him...except Jenna, who was still by Garet's side.

Garet gulped the last of his soup before producing the Force Gem out of his pocket which he gave to Jenna. "The others won't be able to break down that door without this. Go and give Alex the beating he deserves!" The silly grin returned to his features. "Don't forget to fry him up for me, will ya'?

Jenna laughed. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he's deep-fried. Just for you." She turned and hurried out the room to follow the others, leaving Garet alone in the room. His brown eyes never left the doorway, even long after Jenna had gone.

"Above all...please be careful."

* * *

"It's no use! None of our attacks will break that door down!"

Felix fell to his knees and caught his breath. Sheba fell to his side, giving him a Psy Crystal. "Alex's Psynergy had certainly gotten stronger since the last time we saw him. That ice is as hard as titanium!"

"There's no doubt about it." Isaac said, clenching his fists. "Alex got that power from absorbing raw Alchemy."

"Guys, Garet forgot to give you this!" they heard Jenna yell from behind them. She stopped to catch her breath before handing the Force Gem to Piers.

"That's right!" Ivan beamed. "Force has the power to break anything down, be it wood or steel! Good thinking!"

"In that case." Piers said, concentrating his Psynergy on the gem in his hand. "Let's give it a shot...Force!" He pulled back his right arm and swung it forward in a punching motion. An invisible, giant fist emitted out of his hand and shot straight at the sealed door at incredible speed, sounding with a great boom as it collided with wood and ice. The great pressure of the Psynergy shattered the titanium-like ice and broke the hinges of the door. It toppled over, scattering dust and debris everywhere which obscured everyone's sight.

"Well well. If it isn't the famed Warriors of Vale." a familiar voice mocked. When the dust had cleared, the group stood horrified at the sight before them. Blood stained the walls and the bodies of numerous guards lay dead around the vicinity. Alex stood there, holding Zack by the collar of his shirt. The Darksword in Alex's hand now glinted a deep, obsidian color as it continued to project a purplish aura around its blade.

"You lot are all cowards. You would stoop so low as to discard your own men before showing yourselves."

"It is you who is the coward, cousin!" Mia blurted, stepping forward and pointing her Frost Wand at him. "I shouldn't even regard you as my cousin after what I've heard you have done! To use us all for your selfish ways...you are dead to the Mercury Clan!"

"Lady Mia!" Zack called out. "Don't provoke him! You don't know what he's capable of!"

"I see you're coming to your senses, Captain Zack." Alex smirked. "But it's a bit too late now." He let go of his opponent and the Darksword hummed, severing Zack's head from his body.

The group watched, horrified, as the Captain's headless body fell to the ground. Alex grabbed the head and showed it to them, his face now full of rage. "This is what will happen to the wielders of the Golden Sun's power! I will make sure of it!"

"The Golden Sun is not for you alone, Alex!" Mia cried, rushing towards him.

"Mia, stop! You can't face him alone!" Isaac exclaimed, but his warning fell on deaf ears.

"You think you can stop me, Mia?" Alex mocked, raising his Darksword and swinging it downward. Ice, tainted with the color of the shadows, encased Mia's feet, rooting her to the spot.

Seeing Mia in trouble, Jenna raised her Phaeton's Blade in the air. "Fume!" A small flame serpent emerged from her weapon and flew towards the ice at the Mercury Adept's feet.

"Pin Missle!" A torrent of sharp ice shards appeared above Alex and aimed themselves at Mia.

"Teleport!' Isaac appeared beside Mia just as the fire serpent at her feet melted the last of the ice. The Venus Adept tackled her to the ground, taking the hit as each icicle embedded itself in his side and left arm. They crashed to the floor, Isaac tightening his embrace around Mia as they skidded and crashed into a small pile of broken furniture nearby.

By that time, Felix, Jenna, Sheba, Piers, and Ivan had set all of their djinn on standby. Each Adept raised his or her weapon, crying out their strongest elemental summon...

"Judgment!"

"Meteor!"

"Thor!"

"Boreas!"

The whole house started to tremble as a vortex formed under Alex and shot him up into the air. The strong gusts had split the wooden boarding of the house, creating a giant hole in which the Mercury Adept passed through as the wind continued to carry him upward at a dangerous speed. Further above him were the two elemental gods of Venus and Mercury: Judgment and Boreas. In between the two figures was Meteor, whose flaming, rock body was heading towards him.

Seeing what was about to take place, Alex attempted to stand, but quickly found out that he could not. Some sort of invisible pressure above him was pressing against his body, keeping him from trying to stand and escape.

Judgment aimed the mouth of his lion's shield at its target. Boreas followed suit, taking aim with its giant, titanium ice cannon. Meteor was about several meters away from the same target as well.

"Damn it!" the Imilian cursed, gripping the hilt of his Darksword tightly...

Back in the now-damaged lounge room, Isaac pushed aside some of the broken furniture that had fallen on top of him and Mia earlier when they had collided into it. Looking beside him, he saw Mia on the floor, unmoving. Around him, other guards were placing their fallen comrades in stretchers and carrying them out the room to be lined up outside the house.

"Mia?" Isaac questioned, shaking her gently. The Mercury Adept slowly opened her eyes and looked about.

"What...happened?"

Isaac took her hands and helped her sit up. "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure we're still taking care of Alex. Are you alright?"

Mia nodded in response as she began to dust her dress off with her gloved hands. "I'll be ok...but..." She stopped momentarily as her eyes strayed to his injuries. "You're hurt...why did you do that? One of those shards could have pierced one of your vital organs and killed you instantly!"

"Because..." Isaac replied with a smile as he wrapped her in a loving embrace. "I love you."

Mia could only smile at his response as she returned the gesture. "I love you too, Isaac."

Isaac winced a little as her arm accidentally bumped into one of the ice shards still embedded in his side. Feeling him jerk, Mia quickly retracted from her embrace and dug into her robe pockets for salves. "Oh, I'm sorry. Let me take care of that before I cause you any more injury."

_BOOM!_

The sudden sound had the two looking up to see the night sky become illuminated with a cloud of fire and smoke. Felix, Jenna, Sheba, Piers, and Ivan opened their eyes and smiled at the result of their attack formation.

However, when the vortex created by the summon, Procne, had died down, there was no sign of Alex anywhere.

"How could this be?" Ivan asked, perplexed. "I had even made sure to connect my vortex with Sheba's to create a pressure that would prevent Alex from escaping!"

"He warped again!" Piers gritted, clenching his fists. "That sneaky cur!"

"Miss me already?" Alex's voice sounded. Everyone looked around to find the source of his voice.

"I must admit," he continued as they spotted him standing by the broken window. "I have underestimated all of you. So, this is the might of the famed Warriors of Vale."

"How dare you intrude and destroy my house!" Vault's mayor yelled. "And to murder innocents! How unforgivable!"

"Mayor, if those cowards, who you all call the 'Warriors of Vale', showed themselves, this would have been avoided." Alex simply replied, sheathing his blade.

"You're in no position to be saying such things!" Jenna retorted, conjuring up a fireball in her left hand. "It is _you_ who is the coward! You waited silently in the shadows, awaiting the day we would ascend the last lighthouse and light its beacon to release the Golden Sun so you could simply just gain its power for your selfish means!" In her anger, she hurled the fireball at Alex.

Alex merely chuckled, extinguishing the flaming projectile with one Froth Psynergy. "My my, such harsh words from the one who had agreed to help Saturos and Menardi light the beacons."

"That's enough out of you!" Felix hissed. "None of this Alchemy business would have started if those two hadn't raided Sol Sanctum!"

"Ah, but that is where you're wrong, Felix." Alex said coolly. "Even if Saturos and Menardi never raided Sol Sanctum, the events of the Golden Sun would have happened eventually. If not you lot, some other lucky person would have ventured and lit those beacons."

"How would you know?" Sheba asked vehemently.

Alex smiled, drawing his cloak around him. "You shall see for yourselves when you travel to Mt. Aleph. For now, I bid you all adieu and we shall meet again very soon."

A small, but strong, wind vortex kicked up around Alex as he raised his hood and face mask. Everyone shielded themselves as the strong winds scattered more of the debris around.

_"He's getting away!" _Ivan's voice projected in everyone's minds through his Mind Read. _"We need to do something fast!"_

_"Let it be." _Isaac responded. _"I don't think this will be the last time we'll be seeing him."_

_"I hope not because I want to burn him to a crisp really badly!" _Jenna remarked angrily.

As quickly as the winds came, they died down, leaving the group to look at the extra damage it had caused...

Taking leadership, Felix turned to the others. "Piers, you go with Mia after she's finished tending to Isaac. Go around and see if any of the guards they've carried outside are still alive. Tend to their wounds until the Great Healer and his assistants arrive. Jenna, go to the Sanctum and inform the Great Healer and his assistants. Take Kraden and the mayors with you and escort them to the inn on the way. Ivan and Sheba, you two help me clean up some of the debris so the guards and healers can easily tend to the wounded and dead. If any of you can get extra hands to help, that would be great. Guards, assist Piers and Mia with the survivors. Let's go."

They nodded and dispersed to follow the Venus Adept's orders.

Nearby, Mia was finishing up tending to Isaac's wounds. The Venus Adept winced as she pulled out the last of the offending shards and tossed them in with the pile shards she had taken out earlier.

"I'm sorry for ignoring your warning earlier, Isaac. Look what happened to you because of my stupidity."

Isaac took her hands in his, interrupting her from her work. She looked up at him to see that sweet smile on his face again.

"Mia...no matter how many times you get yourself into danger, I'll always be nearby, ready to risk everything for you. Remember that."

The Imilian leaned over and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Thank you for everything, Isaac."

"Uh..." he was suddenly lost for words as he felt his cheeks grow warmer. "N-no problem..."

Mia giggled as she went back to treating his injuries.

"You're so silly, Isaac."

* * *

To be continued...


End file.
